Report: NCAA interviewing ‘subjects’ for ASU football recruiting investigation

The NCAA is in the process of interviewing subjects related to the Arizona State football program’s alleged violations that took place during a pandemic-caused recruiting dead period in 2020, reports CBS Sports’ Dennis Dodd.

Whether that means the NCAA is questioning current Sun Devil staffers, high school recruits targeted or the trio of assistant coaches from ASU who are on paid leave is not known. Neither is a timeline for the investigation to conclude.

But the report does indicate the usually slow-moving NCAA is making headway as ASU readies for its 2021 season to begin a week from Thursday against Southern Utah.

Arizona State head coach Herm Edwards said during Pac-12 media days last month that he couldn’t comment on the probe into whether the Sun Devils hosted high school prospects during the NCAA-imposed ban on in-person recruiting during the pandemic.

“Speaking of circumstances right now, as you guys know, we are under NCAA review. With that being said, we cannot comment on what’s taking place with our football team,” Edwards said.

The NCAA called off visits to campus by high school prospects in all sports and banned coaches from taking recruiting trips for more than a year because of COVID-19. In-person recruiting resumed on June 1.

After going 2-2 during an abbreviated Pac-12 season last year, Arizona State is expected to compete for the South division title behind junior quarterback Jayden Daniels.

Edwards is 17-13 through three seasons, with an 11-11 record in conference play. Arizona State reached bowl games in each of Edwards’ first two seasons but was among multiple Pac-12 teams to decline a postseason berth last year following a COVID-19 outbreak that shut down the program for almost a month.

Prentice Gill and Chris Hawkins were the two most recent assistants put on leave.

The pair joins tight ends coach Adam Breneman, who was put on paid leave in late July. Gill is Arizona State’s receivers coach and assistant recruiting coordinator while Hawkins is the defensive backs coach.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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